Dragons: Riders of Atmos
by Epiclot214
Summary: (AU) This is Atmos, world of a thousand mountaintop kingdoms. The noble Sky Knights are at war with beasts, rogues, and Cyclonians. They fight over the fate of the world. But now, we have something that the evil Master Cyclonis doesn't have. We have... dragons.
1. Age of Heroes and Dragons part 1

"We come from a place called Terra Berk. It's this little patch of land in the Archipelagus Region of Atmos. We don't have a lot of crystals there or Sky Knights or even any Cyclonian problem there. We had… dragons. Now, there are several types of dragons. Now, dragons used to be a problem with all the crop stealing, and we retaliated by hunting them down. One night, I shot down a rare Night Fury and accidently ripped off part of its tail. But as soon as I learned he was good, I learned to bond with is and ride it. And I shared the idea with everyone in my terra. And so, my friends and I have come all the way from the Archipelagus Region to share that knowledge."

That whole story was told by Hiccup Haddock III to the councilman of Sky Knights. Like most people in Terra Atmosia, he was nervous and skeptical at the sight of 5 dragons, and even more so seeing them work with six humans.

"Uh…" the councilman said nervously. "What did you say your names were?"

The dragon riders groaned in frustration before giving their introductions.

"I'm Hiccup. My dad is the chief of Terra Berk. This Night Fury with me is called Toothless."

"Astrid Hofferson. My dragon, Stormfly, is a Deadly Nadder."

"Snotlout Jorgenson, the most awesome Berkian. And I've got my awesome Monstrous Nightmare, who I call Hookfang." Hookfang raised his tail and smacked Snotlout in the head. "Hey!"

"Fishlegs Ingerman. This beautiful, gentle Gronkle is Meatlug."

"I'm Tuffnut Thorston."

"And I'm his cooler twin sis, Ruffnut. We share this Hideous Zippleback, Barf and Belch."

"Look, councilman," Hiccup said, "We've traveled all this way for just one request. We're hoping for you to help open up a school for dragon training. With the right dragons, I think they'd be a great help for Sky Knights everywhere."

"That's… a thought." The councilman said. "But I'm afraid I'll have to deny your request."

"What?" everyone gasped.

"Look, we can't just take the request of every citizen who gains access to this hall." The councilman explained. "You're not even a Sky Knight, so we can't take you seriously. Besides, you're talking about putting our Sky Knights on the backs of those wild animals."

"It's not that bad." Fishlegs said.

"Yeah." Astrid agreed. "These dragons are really nice once you get to know them."

"And how do you know they won't go wild and attack us?" the councilman said. "I'm sorry, but no means no."

Without a word, the Berkians were forced to leave the hall with their dragons.

"Well, that could have gone better." Hiccup said.

"You did your best." Astrid said. "I guess they're not ready."

"But how do we know when they're ready?" Hiccup asked. "It's not like we can magically tell."

"Or can we?" Tuffnut said rubbing his chin. "If we found a way to see the future."

"We're not oracles, Tuff." Fishlegs said.

"Or are we?" Ruffnut joined her brother's silliness.

"Whoa!" Snotlout gasped when they saw a group of Sky Knights land in the middle of a cheering crowd. "It's Carver and the Red Sparrows!"

"The professional Sky Knights in charge of protecting this very terra." Hiccup said. "Perhaps we can appeal to them." He approached the leader, Carver. The crowd was spooked by the sight of dragons. Carver was a little petrified, but shook it off like nothing. "Uh, Carver. I'm Hiccup. We're hoping to run something by you."

"How about some advice?" Carver asked. "If you want to live, keep those dragons on muzzles." He and his squad drove off leaving the dragons and their riders offended.

"Well, that was rude." Fishlegs said.

* * *

A storm always surrounded the evil terra known as Cyclonia, a sinister land so evil, no dragon would be brave enough to roost there. It was the home of Atmos' greatest threat: the Cyclonian Empire. Talons were the foot soldiers of this evil army, and they had plenty of allies such as the savage Raptors. And worst of all was the leader of the empire, the young but wicked Master Cyclonis.

In the middle of her citadel, Master Cyclonis was maintaining a big, ominous machine during a meeting with her elite followers.

"Once upon a time," Cyclonis narrated in her snakey voice, "Cyclonia controlled the entire Atmos. Then along came the Sky Knights and all that got messed up. I want things back the way they used to be. And as soon as our Talon squadron has clipped the wings of the Sky Knights, they will."

Suddenly, the door opened, Everyone turned and saw the most loyal soldier to the Cyclonian Empire: an elite pilot called the Dark Ace.

"That would be my pleasure, Master Cyclonis."

"The Dark Ace." Cyclonis addressed. "So nice of you to join us."

"I couldn't care less about your plan, Cyclonis!" the Raptor leader, Repton, exclaimed. "What's in it for the Raptors?"

Cyclonis turned to face him. "Untold riches to start…" She then held up a crystal that quickly hovered Repton up in the air nice and tight. "And I promise not to crush your precious Terra Bogaton." She released Repton and let him fall to the ground.

When Repton got back up, he was ready to play nice. "I believe… something can be arranged."

"Good." Cyclonis said. "Then we can begin. Our friend is about to make his move."

* * *

From one minute to another, the light at the top of Terra Atmosia's beacon began to dim. Everyone gasped in fear when they saw it.

"Uh, Hiccup," Fishlegs said, "Do you see what I see?"

"Maybe it's a maintenance problem." Snotlout guessed.

"No, it doesn't work like that." Hiccup said. "Something must be wrong with the Aurora Stone. We gotta check it out."

The riders got on their dragons and entered the beacon tower through the window.

"Well, Hiccup, you don't have to worry." Tuffnut said. "There's nothing wrong with the crystal."

"Tuffnut, there's no crystal at all!" Hiccup said.

"Where is it?" Astrid asked.

"Look no further."

The dragon riders looked and saw Carver step out of the shadows with the Aurora Stone in his hand.

"Carver, what are you doing with that crystal?" Hiccup asked.

"Don't worry." Carver said menacingly. "This will have a brand new home… with Master Cyclonis."

"Cyclonis?" Hiccup asked in shock. "Carver, Cyclonians are the enemies of Sky Knights. You're a Sky Knight."

"Exactly. A Sky Knight who knows which way the wind is blowing. And I'm not going to let some delusional kids and their savage animals stop me."

"We'll show you delusional and savage." Hiccup said. "Let's go, bud!"

Toothless shot a plasma blast out of his mouth, but Carver blocked it with his energy weapon. He shot a blast of his own which Toothless avoided by stepping out of the way.

"You can't beat me." Carver said. "I've been training for dragon attacks my whole life. No fire breath can get past me."

The riders stopped to stare for a moment. They looked at each other before looking back at Carver.

"Do you… really think all dragons are fire-breathing beasts?" Astrid asked.

"You've never actually fought a dragon, have you?" Fishlegs asked.

"Of course, I have." Carver said. "I've slain plenty of Deadly Nadders. Yours won't make a difference."

"Dude, you obviously have your dragons mixed up." Snotlout said.

"And here, I thought Sky Knights were supposed to be smart." Tuffnut said.

"What are you talking about?" Carver asked.

"Fishlegs…" Hiccup cued.

Fishlegs opened up his bag and spilled a bunch of rocks from it into Meatlug's mouth.

"What the…" Carver gasped.

"Dragons are as different as people are." Hiccup said. "For example, Gronkles have a rocky appetite. And whatever it eats, it spews out."

Meatlug hovered from the ground and opened her jaw. A fall of lava spilled from her mouth and almost hit Carver, who jumped away in shock. Suddenly, Hookfang's tail wrapped around him.

"Monstrous Nightmares are awesome too." Snotlout said. "Show him what you can do, Hookfang."

Suddenly, Hookfang's entire body exploded in a fire that covered his scales. Snotlout was sitting on a fireproof saddle, so he wasn't burned, but when Carver got hit with the fire, he struggled quickly and slipped out. He fell right in front of the twins and their dragon.

"Barf! Belch!" they shouted at the same time. One dragon head opened his mouth and sprayed a green mist.

"What's this?" Carver asked.

"A flammable gas." Ruffnut said. "That's what a Hideous Zippleback does. One head sprays the gas…"

"And the other…" Tuffnut continued.

The other head clicked its teeth so that a spark escaped from it. When the spark made contact with the gas, it exploded shooting Carver backwards towards Toothless, who knocked him forward by whipping his tail. When Carver impacted on the ground, he fell unconscious and dropped the Aurora Stone. Hiccup picked up the crystal and returned it to its pedestal bringing light back above Terra Atmosia.

* * *

A few minutes later, the authorities had Carver in handcuffs as they escorted him away.

"This isn't over!" Carver ranted. "Cyclonia will rise!"

"Tell it to someone who cares!" Snotlout returned with a laugh. "What a dum-dum."

"Dragon riders." Said a councilman who approached them. "We have a task for you."

"About time." Astrid said.

* * *

"Get help?" Snotlout complained. "Are you kidding me?"

"Without the Red Sparrows, this Terra is defenseless." Hiccup said. "We just need to find another squadron to take their place."

"Why can't they let us handle it?" Snotlout asked. "We did just save the crystal, which the Cyclonians seemed to want for some reason."

"Snotlout, the Aurora Stone is the most powerful crystal in Atmos." Fishlegs said. "In the hands of someone like Master Cyclonis, it would lead to unimaginable chaos."

"Whatever." Snotlout said. "All I know is, I didn't fly all the way from Terra Berk to be some politician's messenger boy. If you want to go and prove us incapable, that's your business. Hookfang and I are staying here and protecting this place like we came here to do in the first place."

"You know what, fine." Hiccup said pinching the middle of his eyes. "We don't have time to argue. If you want to stay, be my guest. But don't blame us when this turns into a bad idea. Come on, guys." He took off on Toothless.

"Adios, muchacho." Tuffnut said as he took off with his sister and the others.

Snotlout scoffed. "Bad idea. When do I have a bad idea?"

Hookfang raised his front-right claw and patted on the ground multiple times like a horse tapping the ground to count.

"Shut up, Hookfang."

* * *

The Dark Ace stomped into Cyclonis' room with a concerned look on his face. He could hear the disappointment in his master's voice.

"I understand that Carver has failed. And by those who claim to have trained… dragons."

"That is only a rumor, your highness." Dark Ace said. "Dragons are savage animals. No one could tame them."

"Get me my crystal, Dark Ace." Cyclonis ordered. "And if you come across one of these 'dragon riders', bring them to me alive, along with his dragon."

"At once, my liege. Ravess, Snipe, you're with me."

* * *

Snotlout and Hookfang were circling Terra Atmosia.

"Stupid Hiccup and his spineless attitude." Snotlout complained to himself. "He's the chief's son. He should be more assertive with our opinions. I cannot believe he's going to be chief one day. If we can beat a jerk of a Sky Knight, then we could take on a battalion of Talons." Suddenly, Hookfang stopped and Snotlout looked in front of them. He squinted his eyes at the three fighter jets approaching from the distance. One thing's for sure, they weren't friendly.

"Ah, speak of the devil." Snotlout grinned. "Come on, Hookfang. Let's show them what a dragon-trainer can really do! SNOTLOUT, SNOTLOUT, OI, OI, OI!"

Hookfang darted toward the incoming Talons. While they were approaching, the Cyclonians caught sight.

"Well, what do you know?" Snipe said. "They do ride dragons."

"Not for long." Ravess said aiming her bow and arrow.

"No lethal shots." Dark Ace said. "Master Cyclonis wants this one brought to her alive."

"Doesn't mean we can't hurt him." Snipe said pulling out his mace.

Hookfang swooped toward the Cyclonians and did a barrel roll. When he slipped behind them, Snotlout ordered his dragon to shoot fire at them. But the Cyclonians dodged that.

"Ha!" Snotlout laughed. "You know, for people who are after this super-powerful crystal, you'd think Cyclonis would send more of you."

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" Dark Ace asked.

"The world's scariest hair model?" Snotlout asked.

"They call me the Dark Ace, Master Cyclonis' second in command and her most elite pilot. I never lost a sky duel and I am personally responsible for crippling the Sky Knight system. Cross blades with me if you have a death wish."

"…" Snotlout was stunned in shock. "…I was already scared when you said 'Dark Ace'. But that won't stop me from kicking your tail! Hookfang, annihilate!"

Hookfang shot another fire blast that the Dark Ace dodged. Snotlout chased him across the sky trying to fire, but it was all for naught. This frustrated the young Berkian.

"Is that all you got?" the Dark Ace asked.

Snotlout growled. "Oh, come on! Do you really enjoy messing with me that much?"

"Yes, but that's not the point." Dark Ace said.

"Then what is?" Snotlout asked. He then realized something and turned his head around. "Where did the others go?"

Suddenly, the light at Terra Atmosia's beacon tower dimmed again. Snotlout gasped when he realized where Ravess and Snipe went.

"You were distracting me!"

"Figure that out on your own?" Dark Ace asked. "And here, I thought someone who trained a dragon might be a little bit smarter."

"Smart enough to go and stop them!" Snotlout shouted as he turned Hookfang around.

The Dark Ace chased Snotlout until they made it above the Terra. The Dark Ace then jumped into the air and charged his sword for an attack. When he made a swinging motion, the energy escaped the sword and hit Hookfang. Snotlout screamed as he and his dragon fell to the ground in the middle of a scared crowd. Snotlout struggled to get up as he saw his dragon unconscious.

"Hook… fang…" he struggled to say.

Ravess and Snipe exited the tower with the Aurora Stone in the sister's hand.

"And to think Carver was defeated by this knucklehead." Snipe said.

"Not just him." The Dark Ace said. "There were others."

"That's right."

The Cyclonians turned and saw the rest of the dragon riders standing and ready for a fight.

"Guys." Snotlout said weakly. "How did you know…"

"We heard your scream and thought you'd be in trouble." Astrid said.

"Astonishing." The Dark Ace said looking at Toothless. "I heard you were able to tame dragons, but I never would have guessed you'd have a Night Fury on your side. I thought they were extinct."

"Let our friends go and drop the stone." Hiccup said.

"I don't think you are understanding the gravity of the situation." The Dark Ace lowered his sword and pointed it right to Snotlout's frightened face. "Try to stop us and he dies."

Hiccup reluctantly motioned for Toothless to lower his fire. The other dragon riders did the same with their dragons.

"That's a low blow." Tuffnut said. Suddenly, his sister kicked him in the shin.

"No, that is." Ruffnut said.

"How amusing." The Dark Ace chuckled as he addressed the people of Atmosia. "Your own sworn protector turns on you and you respond by sending primitive children who rely on savage dragons. How pathetic. Return to your homes, citizens of Atmosia. Tomorrow, our wrath will become your future. Ravess, take the hot-headed waste of meat. Snipe, take the dragon."

Ravess picked up Snotlout's half-conscious body and placed him in her skimmer's passenger's seat. Snipe chained up Hookfang and placed him across his own. The Dark Ace returned to his jet and they all took off into the direction of Cyclonia.

"That's not good." Fishlegs said.

The councilman approached the dragon riders with a face full of worry and fear. "The Aurora Stone, in the hands of Cyclonis and her Talons. Not only that, but she has one of your friends as a hostage. Something must be done."

"I understand." Hiccup said. "We're going to Cyclonia to get the crystal, Snotlout, and Hookfang back."

* * *

**Author's Note: **_I just finished Race to the Edge and I was intrigued with including the Dragons series in my fanfiction. And I thought, what about Storm Hawks. It would have a lot of potential. Full disclosure, I am not going to have the actual Storm Hawks in this. No offense. It's just that with the Storm Hawks teaming up with the dragon riders, it'd be way too big of a cast for me to handle at once. So instead, I'm going to have the dragon riders take the Storm Hawks place and treat this as an AU. One where dragons aren't endangered. Hope you enjoy. Any and all comments are welcome._


	2. Age of Heroes and Dragons part 2

When Snotlout slowly came to, he didn't like his surroundings. It was a dark room with barely any windows. At the center of it was a giant machine he couldn't recognize. But the scariest thing he saw was the evil girl approaching him.

"Dragon rider," she said, "Welcome to Cyclonia."

"Cyclonia?" Snotlout gasped. "Then…" He shouted a short scream. "It's you! You're her!"

Master Cyclonis chuckled. "Of course. Did you see anything else, Dark Ace?"

Snotlout jumped again when he noticed the Dark Ace behind him holding the Aurora Stone.

"There were at least five other riders on four dragons." The Dark Ace explained. "They have a Hideous Zippleback, a Gronkle, a Deadly Nadder, and even a Night Fury."

"A Night Fury, alive?" Cyclonis said. "Interesting."

"The Aurora Stone, my liege." The Dark Ace said presenting the crystal he stole.

"Hold onto it for a little while longer." Cyclonis said as she saw several red dots on her computer screen that had a digital map of the surrounding area around Cyclonia. "We're about to have visitors."

* * *

There were dozens of Sky Knights flying their jets toward Cyclonia. Squads from all over Atmos were preparing for a big fight to reclaim the Aurora Stone. But what they didn't expect was one Cyclonian: the Dark Ace. He attached the Aurora Stone to the end of his sword which gave it a major energy surge. He jumped and swung his sword down. The impact created a large explosion that not only pushed the Dark Ace to the wall behind him, but also destroyed the Sky Knights' aircrafts. They were saved by the parachutes, but it was a battle they couldn't win. Even the Dark Ace was surprised.

* * *

When he returned to his master, the Dark Ace was almost speechless. Snotlout was trapped in a glass container on top of the strange machine..

"And our guests?" Cyclonis asked.

"I've never seen that much power." The Dark Ace responded admiring the Aurora Stone.

"That, Dark Ace, was nothing." Cyclonis said. "We're about to see the full power of the Aurora Stone unleashed." She took the Aurora Stone and placed it in her machine. It shifted gears and began to sound like it's powering up.

"Uh, what's that sound?" Snotlout asked worryingly.

"This is called a Storm Engine." Cyclonis said. "Imagine a thousand terras wiped clean in a single blow. It's about to happen. In a few hours, this will be the only safe place on Atmos."

"That's definitely scary." Snotlout commented. "But what does any of this have to do with me? You've got your crystal. You don't need me anymore."

"That's where you're wrong, Berkian." Cyclonis responded. "When I heard that someone was able to train dragons and gain their absolute loyalty, it really piqued my interest. Originally, whenever we find a dragon, we chain it to our hunting grounds to be used for later sport. But now, I can imagine my Talons utilizing these dragons and their abilities that our jets couldn't do. We'd be unstoppable. The only problem is, our attempts to control your Monstrous Nightmare so far has failed, so we had to return it to its cage below. I need for you to tell me how it is done."

"Uh… Who, me?" Snotlout asked nervously. "Nah. I usually charge for lessons, but you look a little short."

"I suggest you make up your mind before my Storm Engine finishes warming up." Cyclonis said. "That container you are in in a focusing tool for my storm. So if you don't give me the information I want, then in a few hours, you will be the first to face its wrath."

"Uh… I don't suppose I could have an extension?" Snotlout asked.

* * *

The dragon riders flew through the volcanic Wastelands below the terras before finally setting eyes on Cyclonia. They rested their dragons to converse.

"Won't Cyclonis shoot us down as soon as we get too close like she did with the Sky Knights?" Astrid asked.

"I don't think so." Hiccup said. "Think about it. How did they know the Sky Knights were getting close? She must have some kind of alarm system. Maybe they warn her about incoming fighters."

"So we can slip through because we ride on dragons." Fishlegs said.

"Right." Hiccup said. "Here's the plan. Astrid, Fishlegs, you two take your dragons and Barf and Belch through the underground tunnels."

"Hold on." Ruffnut said. "Why do they get to take our dragons?"

"Because you and your brother will have to sneak into the citadel." Hiccup said. "Find a manhole in Sector IV. That'll lead to where Astrid and Fishlegs will go. That'll sneak all your dragons in. Meanwhile, me and Toothless will try to thin out the Cyclonian armada by flying in front of the terra to draw them out. As soon as I'm sure we did a good enough job, we'll fly our way to the front. Once we all meet up, we'll save Snotlout and Hookfang and recover the Aurora Stone."

"Uh, Hiccup," Astrid said, "That's a good plan and all, but what's your plan for Cyclonis? What if we run into her? I hear she's pretty tough."

"Well, I heard that she's secretly a gorgon." Ruffnut said. "A bloodthirsty monster with snakes for hair."

"Her very stare would turn you into stone." Tuffnut continued. "Sounds like a good retirement plan, if I do say so myself."

"Well, that's ten seconds of my life I'll never get back." Hiccup commented. "Look, if we be careful and follow the plan, there's a much bigger chance of avoiding Cyclonis than there is of running into her. Everyone clear on the plan?" Everyone nodded. "Good, just be careful. We only have one shot at this."

And with that, the dragon riders left in different directions. Hiccup turned to this dragon and rubbed his head.

"You ready to do this, bud?" Toothless shook his head. "Yeah, me neither, but when are we ever?" Hiccup saddled on his Night Fury and flapped off.

* * *

Getting through the Wastelands was a real show of effort, but it was necessary for Fishlegs and Astrid. They flew in on their dragons with Barf and Belch following hem. Eventually, they managed to get underneath Cyclonia and flew into he open pipes at the bottom.

"This place looks like it's seen better days." Astrid said. "Guess maintenance isn't a priority."

"Well, they are bad guys." Fishlegs said. "I kinda expected that. Now, the sector should be around here somewhere."

* * *

A Talon was pacing around a hallway when he heard a strange sound. It was the sound of a cat's meow. It kept repeating until the Talon decided to investigate. He followed the sound to a metal crate. He opened it up, but instead of a cat, he found two twins who quickly pulled him into the crate.

"Meow, scumbag!" Ruffnut said as they roughed him up and knocked him out.

"Classic." Tuffnut said as he got out of the crate with his sister. "Reminds me of Uncle Flint, when he could hear a cat everywhere he went."

"Except the pet store, strangely." Ruffnut continued.

The twins continued to sneak, roll, and creep along the walls, even though there were no Talons there.

* * *

Cyclonia was within sight. Hiccup and Toothless prepared for a fight.

"Let's get their attention, bud." Hiccup said.

Toothless shot a plasma blast at the side of the Cyclonian fortress. In a matter of seconds, several Talons flew on their jets toward Hiccup, who prepared for a sky duel with all his enemies.

* * *

Ruffnut and Tuffnut continued to comically sneak until they came across an open door. When Tuffnut looked inside, he saw the Storm Engine powered by the Aurora Stone and Snotlout trapped on top of it.

"Hey, look at this!" Tuffnut said as he went inside. "We found them."

"Hey, Snotlout." Ruffnut said. "How's the weather up there?"

"Quit messing around, you muttonheads, and get me out of here!" Snotlout shouted. "This thing is a big storm machine! It's going to destroy all the other terras in Atmos!"

"Okay, just give me a sec." Ruffnut said.

"Hold on." Tuffnut said. "Is this a good idea?"

"How is freeing your friend and disabling a doomsday weapon a bad idea?" Snotlout asked.

"You know, my brother's got a point." Ruffnut said. "Hiccup said if we stray from the path, something bad may happen."

"Guys, it doesn't matter now!" Snotlout said. "Look, just get me out of here and we can grab the stone. We can get this over with now."

The twins looked at each other and then got closer to the machine. Ruffnut stood on her brother's shoulders and gripped her hand on the Aurora Stone. She pulled with all her might, but with no avail.

"So why did Cyclonis want to take you?" Tuffnut asked.

"Obviously, not for your charm." Ruffnut insulted.

"Hey!" Snotlout cried out. "If you must know, Cyclonis thinks I can help her train dragons." Suddenly, he had a scared face.

"Well, she picked the wrong guy for that." Tuffnut said. "You wouldn't know a crystal from a Changewing egg."

"If she needs anyone, it would be Hiccup." Ruffnut said. "He's the guy she'll want to threaten."

"Guys, shut up!" Snotlout said. "Cyclonis is…"

"Right behind you?" a sinister voice asked.

The twins turned around to see the young tyrant standing there. She was with two guards.

"Nice to meet you." Cyclonis said. "And you are…"

"We are… inspectors." Ruffnut lied nervously. "We came to see if your doomsday weapon was up to code."

"Yeah." Tuffnut lied too putting his sister down. "Well, it seems that this machine has a good grip on that power source crystal, although I'd have to chalk up a point for poor structure."

"And those mechanical arm things are too slow for my liking." Ruffnut said. "All in all, I'd give this a four out of ten. I'd recommend a few days of maintenance checking before a trial test."

Suddenly, Cyclonis hovered the two up with her crystal.

"Well, that's ten seconds of my life I'll never get back." Cyclonis said. "Now, before I decide your fate, tell me more about this… Hiccup."

* * *

With another Talon blown out of the sky, Hiccup and Toothless knew they were dominating the sky. Suddenly, they saw three familiar jets circling towards them. It's the elites, Snipe, Ravess, and the Dark Ace.

"For the marbles, Toothless." Hiccup said preparing his Night Fury. "Let's go!"

Hiccup and Toothless flew as quick as a flash toward their opposition. It was faster than Snipe and Ravess had expected, but the Dark Ace knew what he was getting into. Ravess armed her bow and aimed an arrow, but Toothless was too fast for her to get a lock on. She then moved to where she believed he was going to be and fired. Toothless caught the arrow with his teeth and passed it to Hiccup.

"Nice gift." Hiccup joked. "It's what I've always wanted. Oops. Not my color. Here you go, big guy."

Hiccup thrusted the arrow at Snipe's engine which blew up on impact. Snipe took the opportunity to jump and parachute away. Toothless then turned to fire another plasma blast at Ravess. It hit her wing which broke off. She followed her brother's lead and opened up her parachute. All that was left was the Dark Ace.

"This time, no mercy." He growled.

"It's now or never, Toothless." Hiccup said.

"How cute. You named it." The Dark Ace mocked. "Get ahold of yourself. Dragons are mindless, savage beasts and to befriend one is borderline insanity."

"The only mindless, savage beast around here is you." Hiccup said. "Here's what happens when me and Toothless work together."

Hiccup jumped off of Toothless looking like he was ready to blast a striking blast with his sword. The Dark Ace was ready to block, but it was just a distraction. Toothless fired a plasma blast at the front of the Dark Ace's aircraft while he was focusing on Hiccup. Toothless was lowering until Hiccup landed back on his back.

Toothless and Hiccup flew under the Dark Ace avoiding his slice. Hiccup raised his sword and pierced the underside of the Dark Ace's ship. That's when the ship began to fail. Hiccup and Toothless flew away while the Dark Ace jumped off and put on his glider. He roared in frustration as his ride fell into the Wastelands below.

"All right, bud." Hiccup said. "That's enough. Let's go in."

Hiccup and Toothless flew right to the hanger where the Dark Ace came from. Once they landed, they were face to face with three Talons.

"Don't worry." Hiccup told his dragon. "We beat the Dark Ace. Three Cyclonians won't make a difference." Suddenly, the door opened revealing at least a dozen and a half more Cyclonians that approached him. "I did not see that coming."

The Cyclonians were ready to attack… but then something rolled in between them. From behind them, someone let a metal ball roll in the middle of the crowd. Even Hiccup was confused. Suddenly, the ball shot out an explosion of lightning that electrocuted the Talons into unconsciousness… except for one. She removed her helmet revealing her purple hair.

"Never thought I'd save a boy and his Night Fury." She said.

"What the…" Hiccup said.

"It's all right. I'm on your side. My name is Starling."

"Starling?" Hiccup asked. "Like Starling of the Interceptors? I've heard of you."

"I've infiltrated Cyclonian ranks to learn more about their master plan." Starling explained. "Cyclonis has built a giant storm generator powered by the Aurora Stone. She's also got three kids prisoner. One hothead and two twins. One of them says she's a girl, but I never would have guessed."

"Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut." Hiccup said. "Oh, boy. Listen, Starling, I need a favor from you, but it might be dangerous."

"What do you need?" Starling asked.

* * *

"Ugh!" Astrid groaned in frustration. "What's taking them so long?"

"Maybe they mistook sections." Fishlegs said.

Suddenly, they heard engines roaring from across the tunnels. It was revealed to be a group of Raptors weapons in hand.

"Raptors!" Fishlegs gasped. "What do we do?"

* * *

The Storm Engine was getting closer and closer to being activated. Snotlout and the twins were stuck in the glass container above it. Meanwhile, Master Cyclonis was still tinkering with it.

"This is a nightmare." Snotlout said. "Having a big storm machine destroy me, and the worst part is, all I have with me are you two."

"Don't worry, Snotty." Tuffnut said. "We'll be here for you."

"And if we make it out of this," Ruffnut said, "I swear we'll return your dad's prized yak head we stole."

"Wait, you stole it?" Snotlout asked. "My dad thought I did!"

Cyclonis was amused, but she was focused on finishing her plan.

"Storms made us," Cyclonis monologue, "Storms tore us apart, and now, storms will help us rebuild… my way."

Suddenly, there was a plasma blast that blew up the door. Toothless leaped into the room with Hiccup on his back.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Hiccup responded.

"About time, Hiccup!" Snotlout complained.

"So you're the original dragon trainer, Hiccup Haddock." Cyclonis said. "You must tell me your secret."

"Sorry, but you didn't say please." Hiccup said.

Cyclonis reached her hand to her metal staff and brought it to her hand telekinetically. She then removed her robe preparing for a fight.

"Boy, does she need a hobby." Ruffnut commented.

Cyclonis shot a blast out of her staff right when Toothless shot his own. They collided and canceled each other out. All of a sudden…

"STORMFLY, SPINE SHOT!"

Cyclonis dodged when Astrid came from above while her Deadly Nadder launched large needles from her tail. Fishlegs and Meatlug also hovered from above and landed next to the Storm Engine with Barf and Belch right next to him. Finally, Hookfang landed strongly on the ground with Starling riding on the saddle.

"Hey, that's my dragon!" Snotlout shouted.

"Well, isn't this a sight." Cyclonis commented. "Humans and dragons working together to save their precious Atmos. How adorable."

"We'll take care of the witch." Starling said. "You save your friends."

"Got it!" Hiccup said.

The other dragon riders shot their fires at Cyclonis, but she either dodged or blocked them. Meanwhile, Hiccup leaped to join Fishlegs.

"What are we looking at?" Hiccup asked.

"Well, this thing seems pretty sound for a doomsday device." Fishlegs described.

"Don't admire the evil handiwork, fish-face!" Snotlout said. "Just blow this thing up!"

"With you three still inside?" Hiccup asked.

"…Shut up, Hiccup." Snotlout grumbled.

"We'll have to remove the Aurora Stone." Hiccup said as he started to climb. "It'll shut down the machine." He gripped the crystal and gave it a hard pull. Unfortunately, the machine had a tighter hold than Hiccup's strength. "It won't come out."

"HICCUP, LOOK OUT!" Astrid called out.

Hiccup looked and saw the Dark Ace falling down preparing a sword strike. Hiccup jumped out of the way just in time as he and Fishlegs regroups with the others. Now, it was Cyclonis and the Dark Ace standing between them and the weapon.

"You can't win, dragon riders." Cyclonis said. "You'll breathe your fires and flap your dragons' wings, but the end result will be the same. I unleash the full fury of nature, and you… Well, actually I don't really care what happens to you."

Cyclonis turned and flipped a switch which opened up the walls and revealed a red vortex storm. The wind blasted hard in everyone's faces.

"HELP! HELP! HELP!" Snotlout kept screaming.

"I THINK I GOT SOMETHING!" Hiccup shouted. He reached into his bag and pulled out a blue crystal. He tossed it toward the glass container. "TOOTHLESS, NOW!"

Toothless shot a plasma blast that hit the crystal as soon as it made contact with the glass. It blew up and covered the glass in ice.

"NOW, YOU CAN BREAK OUT!" Hiccup shouted.

Snotlout used his fists along with the twins using their heads (literally) to break through the glass. They hopped on their dragons and joined up with the others.

"ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE!" Hiccup shouted. "CYCLONIS JUST GAVE US OPEN AIR, SO LET'S USE IT TO OUR ADVANTAGE! STARLING, WHATEVER HAPPENS, I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE!"

"FOR WHAT?" Starling asked loudly.

The dragon riders hovered over the open platform and circled around the Storm Engine that was about to start. The dragons shot their fire at Cyclonis and the Dark Ace, but they blocked the attacks.

"YOU CAN'T DEFEAT US WITH CHEAP TRICKS!" Cyclonis shouted.

"WHY NOT?!" Hiccup asked. "IT'S WORKING SO FAR! TOOTHLESS, PLASMA BLAST!"

Suddenly, Toothless shot a blast, but it wasn't aimed at Cyclonis. It was aimed for the Storm Engine, or more accurately, the Aurora Stone. Cyclonis wasn't prepared for that. As soon as the blast hit the stone, it immediately glowed and blew up. Then, the Storm Engine began to break down and break a few tubes.

"NO!" Cyclonis shouted in anger. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!"

"Yeah." Hiccup responded proudly. "I saved the day. Just remember, Cyclonis, we dragon riders stick together. If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us."

Cyclonis screamed in anger as she quickly pulled out a crystal that she used to blast Toothless. It hit him as soon as the Storm Engine began to blow up knocking Cyclonis and the Dark Ace back. Toothless was a little disoriented from the crystal blast, so Hiccup slipped off of his saddle and started to fall right into the explosion. All his friends began to worry, but Toothless immediately dived down right into the explosion to follow Hiccup. Toothless then escaped the fire carrying Hiccup in his arms. Starling jumped toward the two of them.

"Is he all right?" Starling asked taking a look at Hiccup. But when she saw what happened to his leg, she gasped.

"I think he'll make it," Astrid said, "But we need to get him out of here first! Starling, you're gonna have to pilot Toothless!"

"But I don't know how!" Starling said.

"It's all right." Fishlegs said. "Just make sure his tail wing functions okay!"

Starling placed Hiccup's unconscious body on Toothless' back and hopped on the dragon's saddle. She placed her foot into a pedal that operated the wing. With a good understanding, the dragon riders flew away from Cyclonia before Cyclonis regained her composure.

* * *

When Hiccup awoke on Terra Atmosia, he was surprised to not feel his left leg. When he removed the blanket covering him, he could see why. Instead of a flesh limb, his leg was a metal appendage. Toothless came to him and rubbed his head to him.

"Well, I guess we match now." Hiccup said. "Where are the others?"

Toothless lead the limping Hiccup outside where he found something he didn't expect to find, a crowd cheering for him and his dragon-riding friends. He found his friends waiting for him and hugged him. Astrid kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm glad you're okay." Astrid said.

"Like the leg?" Ruffnut asked. "Gobber came over and made it just for you."

"And… the mission?" Hiccup asked.

* * *

"Of all the brash, reckless things to do, you destroy the Aurora Stone?!" the councilman asked in frustration. "However, taking into consideration the testimony of Sky Knight Starling, this council concedes it was the proper course of action."

"Council," Starling said, "With all due respect, this team performed admirably in the field just as much as any other Sky Knight squadron. Which is why I'd like to recommend their leader, Hiccup, for position of Sky Knight."

"Really?" Hiccup asked.

"Of course." Starling said. "I hear you want to start a dragon-training academy. You'll need a proper title to have something like that."

"Starling, are you actually supporting this wild idea?" the councilman asked.

"I am." Starling said proudly.

"…The council will take some time to… consider the school." The councilman said. "In the meantime, there is no denying your claim on Hiccup Haddock's grit, so it would be cruel to not officially call him… a Sky Knight."

"Wow." Hiccup said surprised. "Thanks." Toothless leaned his head to rub against his body again.

"And what about us?" Snotlout asked. "We fought in the same fight as Hiccup. Shouldn't we be called Sky Knights too?"

"Not how it works, guys." Hiccup said. "Council, thank you for the title and for considering our academy. Come on, everyone."

And with that, the dragon riders left the great hall with their dragons next to them. While they left, the councilman sneaked in a small smile.

"Good luck, dragon riders." He whispered.

* * *

"I'd best be off." Starling told Hiccup and the others.

"You know, Berk is a good, beautiful place." Snotlout said trying to act cool. "I could show you around on my dragon if you'd like."

Starling rolled her eyes and snickered. "You know, I think I'd prefer to have my own dragon."

"What kind of dragon?" Fishlegs asked.

"I'll have to think about it." Starling said. "Thanks, everyone." She hopped on her ship and took off.

"I think she digs me." Snotlout said.

"In your dreams." Ruffnut said.

"So, Hiccup," Astrid said, "What's next?"

"Now… we head back to Terra Berk." Hiccup said. "I've gotta tell my dad. Make no mistake, guys. This changes everything."

* * *

Back at Cyclonia, in the ruins of the blown up tower, Master Cyclonis had just finished removing the last of the rubble off of the Dark Ace.

"Master…" he groaned looking ashamed.

"You win some, you lose some. Apparently now, the same goes for you, Dark Ace." Master Cyclonis walked to the edge of her tower to observe the storm surrounding her home. "Don't worry. Atmos is going to learn soon enough that we've got much more in store for it. And as for the dragon riders… _they'll PAY for what they've done!_"

* * *

**Author's Note: **_Thought that if I used one part of the pilot, I'd may as well use the other. I don't know when to work on the next chapter or where to start, but I'm not giving up on it. Any and all comments are welcome._


	3. Terra Berk

**Author's Note: **_I was told that I needed to change some details regarding the original Storm Hawks plot. Rest assured, I do intend on making some changes and liberties. Now, this one won't be as long as the others, but I think you'll like it. Any and all comments are welcome__._

* * *

In the Archipelagus Region, Terra Berk hovered with a magnificent land stretching far and wide. And the village that rested on Berk was sheltering people and dragons alike. At the center of it, Chief Stoic the Vast was patrolling the streets with his best friend and confidant, Gobber the Belch. Stoic was bored out of his steel-plated helmet until he saw his son fly on his dragon with five other dragon riders. He was the first to greet them when they landed.

"Hiccup, there you are." Stoic greeted his son. "When Gobber told me what happened to your leg…"

"It's fine, Dad." Hiccup assured. "Honestly, I think I've finally gotten the hang of my new prosthetic."

"Treat it well, kid." Gobber said. "One missing limb can also be a warrior's mark. I've lost more parts of my body than it's appropriate for me to say."

"You should have seen it, Stoic." Astrid said. "Cyclonis took the Aurora Stone and was using it to power a big storm generator."

"But we flew in and blew it to smithereens." Fishlegs said. "We also lost the Aurora Stone too, but at least Cyclonis can't use it anymore."

"And Cyclonis herself was there too." Tuffnut said. "She was pretty in a dark and gloomy way, but she was vicious."

"Snotlout was there too, but he was caged up like a hamster." Ruffnut said.

"Hey!" Snotlout complained.

"All right, all right." Stoic said. "I'll talk it over with my son in a bit. For now…" He sees an airship approaching from the distance. "Well, what do you know? It's Trader Johann."

"Trader Johann is here?" Fishlegs asked excitedly.

"Haven't seen the guy in ages." Astrid said.

When the ship docked, almost the entire population of Berk surrounded as the man who piloted it emerged with a happy face. Johann had his usual trader's garments and a big beard that covered the lower half of his face.

"Friends of Berk, it's good to see you!" Johann said. He stopped when he saw the dragons standing beside the Berkians. "So the rumors are true. You've really tamed dragons?"

"You missed a lot since the last you were here, old friend." Stoic said approaching the trader.

"Well, as the busiest trader to peaceful settlements and Sky Knights, I have quite a schedule. I'm practically running around the place." Johann said. "Which reminds me of the time I spent on Terra Woze with a pack of hungry cannibals. I almost lost my arm to those savages."

Stoic browsed through the supplies Johann had and feasted his eyes on something. He held up a broadsword that generated a blue lightning around the blade. He admired it.

"How much for this beauty?" Stoic asked.

"No charge." Johann generously offered. "Call it a congratulations gift for your unbelievable feat with training dragons."

"Your kindness is a blessing, Johann," Stoic said, "But truthfully, the credit goes to my son."

"Hiccup?" Johann asked as he turned his head to the one-legged boy standing next to Toothless. "Well, bless my ship! The last time I saw you, you could barely swung a sword, and here you are, standing side by side with a Night Fury."

"Yeah, Terra Berk isn't the only thing that changed." Hiccup said. Toothless leaned his head to him letting him pet him. "In fact, we hope to teach this to the Sky Knights. That is, if they see how valuable we are."

"You know," Johann said, "If you want to prove yourselves, there is something."

"What?" Hiccup asked. The other dragons riders approached him to listen.

"On my way here, I was nearly caught in the crossfire of a crazy Cyclonian raid on a place called Terra Gale. Not a big terra, but it's known for its strong winds. Talons have been kidnapping freedom fighters there to work as laborers for a nearby factory."

"Why didn't they radio for Sky Knights to help?" Fishlegs asked.

"Most likely because they threw out their radio with a catapult." Johann replied. "The leader there, Wren, is hilariously underequipped and is resorting to using junk as ammunition. I was planning on heading to the nearest Sky Knight team to ask for their help, but seeing you here…"

"We'll do it!" Snotlout shouted enthusiastically.

"Snotlout, that's probably a bad idea." Fishlegs said.

"Buzzkill." Tuffnut said.

"Fish face, we need the cred." Snotlout said. "Saving some guys from a nameless factory is gonna be a snap for our dragons."

"As much as I want to disagree, Snotlout may have a point." Hiccup said. "We need to do the best we can for these people. We're going to Terra Gale."

* * *

Deep within the sanctum of Cyclonia, Ravess and Snipe both bowed to their master.

"You wanted to see us, Master Cyclonis?" Ravess asked.

"It's about the dragon riders from Terra Berk." Cyclonis said. "I'm starting to see a potential problem in the grand scheme of things."

"Not a problem." Snipe said. "One swing of my mace and their dragons' skulls shatter to pieces."

"Stop trying to think, brother." Ravess said. "You'll hurt yourself."

"Why, I oughta…" Snipe growled.

"Listen." Cyclonis said to interrupt the argument. "The dragon riders hail from the Achipelagus Region, a part of Atmos that's not as advanced as the others. If six children from a primitive region could ride on the backs of dragons, get into the heart of Cyclonia, and destroy my greatest weapon, what do you think will happen if the Sky Knights get taught the craft of dragon riding?"

Snipe and Ravess fell silent for a moment. They didn't consider that fact, and it does seem obvious in hindsight. They then continued to listen to Cyclonis.

"Until we figure out their trick on taming dragons, we need another advantage against them. I've sent the Dark Ace on another mission at Terra Gale, so I leave this to you. I've heard of someone who specializes in dragon habits and how to use them against them. He could be valuable on our side. Find him on Terra Mace and recruit him."

"Understood, Master Cyclonis." Ravess said as he bowed her head further down.

"Uh… what's this guy's name?" Snipe asked.

Cyclonis stared at her crystal and smiled. "His name is Viggo Grimbourn."


	4. Gale Force Winds

The last thing you'd expect to read first in a chapter is about a mattress hitting a Talon off his ship. But it happened. A large, feather mattress flew out of Terra Gale from a catapult and knocked off a Cyclonian. The man who launched it, Wren, celebrated by dancing in his stove armor.

"Take that, you Cyclonian dog!" he taunted in a strong French/Canadian accent. "That was for Dove!"

Suddenly, he spotted three more Cyclonian ships heading towards his direction. He knew he didn't have time to put something else on the catapult, but he was still standing strong ready for whatever these ruffians had in store for him. But what he didn't expect is a plasma blast that ignited between the Cyclonians pushing them away from each other. From the clouds, the dragon riders from Terra Berk flew on the backs of their dragons and fired a barrage of fire blasts. Taking advantage of the confusion, Wren, continued to fire junk out of his catapult. Eventually, the Cyclonians were either blown out of the sky or retreated.

After that, the dragon riders landed on a large clearing surrounded by other junk. They dismounted their dragons and looked around.

"Wasn't that awesome?" Snotlout praised. "And me. That was cool. Snotlout, Snotlout…"

"Stop, stop, stop." Astrid said.

"So…" Hiccup looked around but seeing no one. "Where's the little old guy?"

"Probably the kitchen looking for more ammo." Tuffnut said. "You know, you gotta appreciate his creativity."

"Indeed." Ruffnut agreed. "Makes you think on what a weapon can be. Maybe a straw or a glove."

"Or even words."

"A net."

"Uh, a net is already a weapon."

"No, I mean there's a…"

It was too late to finish the sentence. The trap was already sprung as the net flew off of the ground snatching all the dragon riders at once.

"That happened." Hiccup said.

"HA-HA!" Wren shouted as he jumped out of nowhere. "I got you now, Cyclonian swine! Now, to drop you in the Wastelands!"

"What?" Hiccup asked. "No, you got it all wrong. We're not Cyclonians."

Wren wasn't listening. He pulled a lever that dropped the net onto the catapult. He was about to launch them until…

"Toothless, don't hurt him!" Hiccup ordered.

Wren was confused for a split second until Toothless appeared out of nowhere and pushed the old man away from the catapult. The other dragons pulled the net off of the catapult and freed their partners. Wren got back up and raised his fists preparing for a fight.

"So, you want to tussle, huh?" he asked.

"Who says 'tussle' anymore?" Fishlegs asked.

"Look, sir, there's been a misunderstanding." Hiccup said. "Johann sent us. We're here to help you fight against the Cyclonians."

"You're not Cyclonians?" Wren asked. "Then why are you working with dragons?"

"Buddy, Cyclonians don't work with dragons." Snotlout said. "And for your information, we help Atmos."

"Who is your commanding officer?" Wren asked.

"That'd be me, Hiccup Haddock. This here is my partner, Toothless."

"So… they are not going to eat me?" Wren asked.

"No." Fishlegs said. "Just give them some fish, and Meatlug here likes rocks and an occasional crystal or two, and you should be fine. But no eels though. They hate the stuff."

"OK, then." Wren said. "Dragon riders, welcome to Terra Gale, home of the Rebel Ducks."

"Rebel Ducks?" Snotlout asked. "And he expects anyone to take him seriously?"

"Hold on." Hiccup said. "You mean you're a Sky Knight? Then what were you doing using furniture as ammo?"

"Oh, 'tis a truly dreadful tale." Wren said dramatically. "Everything used to be peaceful here on Terra Gale. When the Cyclonians built a factory, we could hold our own. That is, until one night when a dragon came. Big as life and black as night. We fought off against it, but every time we try to strike it, our attacks and weapons just keep going through the dragon. We lost our equipment to that phasing dragon."

"Phasing dragon?" Astrid asked.

"Wren, no dragon like that exists." Hiccup said.

"That is what the other Sky Knights said when I reported it. They thought I was playing a joke, but I swear it was real. Without weapons or backup, we were easy pickings for the Cyclonians by day and the dragon who kept coming back to terrorize us every night. When it was down to just me and my precious granddaughter, Dove, we bolted down our home and took deep shelter there while the dragon flew around our terra. Then… Dove was captured by the Cyclonians just last week. It's down to just me now."

"I… think his frying pan is a little crooked." Snotlout whispered.

"Either way, we can't ignore this man's cry for help." Hiccup said. "I don't know about the dragon, but the Cyclonians are terrorizing this place. Wren, we'll get in that factory and save your squad."

"Excellente!" Wren exclaimed. "We'll show that Dark Ace a thing or two about messing with the Rebel Ducks!"

"Wait, what?" Fishlegs asked in shock. "Did you say the Dark Ace?"

"Oui. He's been assisting in some of the raids lately."

"Johann couldn't have warned us that Cyclonis' second-in-command was here?" Snotlout asked. "No way I'm going!"

"Sounds like he's scared he'll get creamed again." Tuffnut said.

"I wasn't creamed!" Snotlout denied. "I just… Shut up, Tuff."

"Good news, Snotlout." Hiccup said. "You're not coming."

"Really?" Snotlout asked. "Not that I mind, but why?"

"Because this rescue mission needs stealth, especially if the Dark Ace is involved." Hiccup said. "Astrid and I will go in while the rest of you investigate this dragon that keeps showing up at night."

"Us?" Ruffnut asked. "Looking for a giant dragon that nothing can touch? Sweet."

"Fishlegs is in charge." Hiccup said.

"Less sweet." Ruffnut corrected.

"Why Fish-face?" Snotlout asked.

"Fishlegs knows as much about dragons as much as I do." Hiccup said.

"Unless you already know what kind of dragon it is or how to handle it." Astrid continued.

"Well… I… Shut up, Astrid." Snotlout pouted.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ravess and Snipe entered a strange camp. Terra Mace was the home of some scary people. There were men in armor all around and on the sides, cages were full of wild dragons. One big man approached the two Cyclonians.

"My name is Ryker. What is your purpose here?"

"Master Cyclonis sent us." Ravess said. "She requests the aide of your boss, Viggo Grimbourn."

"Really?" Ryker asked. "Well, I'm sure Viggo will be happy to see you. Follow me."

Ryker lead Ravess and Snipe through the camp passing tent after tent and dragon cage after dragon cage. Eventually, they approached a big tent. Ryker opened it revealing a shifty-looking man with a beard and mustache combo.

"Welcome, Cyclonians." He said. "I am Viggo Grimbourn."

"Wait, how did you know we were Cyclonians?" Snipe asked.

"Well, your ships and armor don't exactly scream 'Sky Knight'." Viggo said.

"Oh, you think you're so smart?" Snipe asked. "Well, I'm not a grown man playing some silly board game."

"This board game is a way to prepare chieftains in training." Viggo said. "A simulated battlefield. It's called Maces and Talons."

"Well, this is Terra Mace and we are Talons." Snipe said. "So… Common ground?"

Everyone looked at Snipe with looks like they were having aneurysms.

"Sorry about him." Ravess said. "My brother is more muscle than brain."

"I know all about that." Viggo said locking his eyes on his own brother, Ryker. "Well, you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes." Ravess said. "You see, Master Cyclonis has a little bit of a problem that needs your particular expertise for. She's willing to pay as much as she needs to."

"As enticing as that sounds, I'll have to decline." Viggo said. "Forgive me. It's just that I need to hear this from Cyclonis' own mouth first. It's not a matter of trust, it's a matter of value. I need her to tell me what she wants from me so that I can know how valuable I am."

"Don't you ignore us!" Snipe growled as he began o pull out his mace. He was stopped when Ryker grabbed his wrist.

"Hurt him and I'll send you straight to the Wastelands." Ryker threatened.

"You're making a mistake." Ravess said.

"I hear the deal from Cyclonis herself or there's no point in discussing it." Viggo said. "There's the door."

Without saying a word and frustrated at their meeting, Ravess and Snipe stormed out of the tent.

"What do we do now?" Snipe asked. "If Master Cyclonis finds out about it…"

"I know." Ravess said. "Don't worry. I know what to do."

* * *

The sky was completely pitch black when the sun finally set. That was Hiccup and Astrid's cue to leave on Toothless and Stormfly. While they flew towards the Cyclonian factory, the other dragon riders and their dragons stayed on Terra Gale with Wren. The old man noticed Fishlegs looking through a deck of flash cards.

"What is that?" Wren asked enunciating the last word with his accent.

"My own flash notes on dragons." Fishlegs said. "I'm looking for one that matches your description. So far, nothing comes close."

"Bah! Worry not about written knowledge, my friend." Wren said. "You'll learn all you need to once you see the beast for yourself."

"If we see it." Snotlout mocked.

"Seeing is a state of mind, my friend." Tuffnut said. "I remember our Uncle Ruchos."

"Oh, yeah." Ruffnut said. "That guy kept seeing a lot of colors on one side of his eyesight. We kept calling him Rainbow Ruchos."

"He didn't take that nickname well." Tuffnut said.

"Seriously, how many uncles do you two have?" Snotlout asked.

"That depends. Who's asking?" Ruffnut asked.

"Rest assured, comrades." Wren said. "We'll all have quite a story to tell when my squad is rescued, and this terra is safe from Cyclonians and dragons alike."

"You still can't expect us to believe there's a ghost dragon, do you?" Snotlout asked.

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed from beneath the terra. Everyone looked over the edge and a large shadowy silhouette appeared out of nowhere. The sky was blanketed with wings the size of the very terra and the dragon itself as black as Toothless. The only other scary thing was the white eye looking down at the heroes who were amazed.

"Well… look at that." Snotlout said trying not to scream but is afraid on the inside.

* * *

The dark corners of the factory were perfect camouflage for Toothless. When Talons are passing by, the Night Fury would take Hiccup and Astrid to a corner and cover them with his wing. They continued down the halls until they found an empty floor underneath a catwalk. They dropped down and looked around. Astrid stopped when she saw a girl chained to a big, metal ball. She nudged Hiccup with her elbow and pointed at her.

"Dove." Hiccup said. Dove panicked and took out her frying pan for self-defense. "It's okay. It's okay. Wren sent us."

Dove immediately gasped in joy as she lowered her guard. "Grandpapa?" she asked in the same accent as her grandfather. "Wait. We can't leave yet. They still have my comrades."

"If we draw the Cyclonians away, do you think you can free your friends and escape?" Hiccup asked.

"Oui, of course." Dove confirmed.

"Good." Hiccup said. "Astrid, follow me."

* * *

After breaking the chain on Dove's ball, Hiccup and Astrid went to the main courtyard to confront a large group of Cyclonians. Hiccup picked up a lead pipe and tapped it on a big, metal pan to get their attention.

"Hi, everyone." Hiccup said. "Do you know where I can find the bathroom?" The Cyclonians readied their weapons. "Guess not."

The Cyclonians were about to fire, but then, Toothless and Stormfly emerged from the shadows and landed in front of their partners. Hiccup and Astrid mounted their dragons and they began to hover.

"Catch us of you can, you bozos!" Hiccup taunted just before taking off with Astrid on Toothless and Stormfly.

As Hiccup predicted, the Cyclonians got on their vehicles and gave chase. While they did that, Dove took advantage of the lack of Talons and went to the prison where her comrades were being held. She then led them to their confiscated aircrafts.

Back up in the sky, Toothless and Stormfly hid in a cloud under the dark of night while the Talons were circling around looking for them.

"They're not very bright, are they?" Astrid asked.

"Well, yeah." Hiccup said. "I mean, they did just send every Cyclonian there to chase two teenagers on dragons."

"Hiccup!" Snotlout's voice called from the handheld radio.

Hiccup picked up his radio and answered back. "Snotlout? What?"

"The dragon's real!" Snotlout shouted. "Is just showed up out of nowhere! And everything we throw just goes right through it!"

"The phasing dragon?" Hiccup asked. "Are you sure?"

"I'M PRETTY SURE I'D KNOW AN UNTOUCHABLE DRAGON IF I SAW ONE!" Snotlout shouted louder.

"Okay, okay." Hiccup said. "Look, Astrid and I are done with the Rebel Ducks. They're escaping as we speak. We'll be back at Gale in a short… while." He was nervous when he saw what was ahead. At the other end of the night sky flying towards him and Astrid, there were three Cyclonian jets in flashing red. In the middle stood a very familiar face: the Dark Ace.

"Is that…" Astrid asked.

"Oh, yeah." Hiccup said. "On second thought, Snotlout, we might be a little late."

* * *

"WHAT?!" Snotlout screamed. "Hiccup, we…"

Snotlout was interrupted by the giant dragon's roar. He then dropped the radio and ran inside of the mill where the others were.

"Hey, find your own hiding spot." Tuffnut said.

"What are we gonna do?" Fishlegs asked.

"I don't know!" Snotlout panicked. "Hiccup might be delayed, so it might be up to us."

"Why don't you get on your dragons and fight the beast?" Wren asked.

"We don't know anything about this dragon." Fishlegs explained. "It's not exactly listed in the Book of Dragons. If we go in blind, we could fly into a trap. Besides, dragons have a limited amount of shots they can fire at a time. We need to be smart about this."

"How can we afford to be smart about this, fish-face?" Snotlout asked. "There's a giant dragon out there destroying everything in its path and…"

"No, it's not." Ruffnut said looking outside.

"What?" Fishlegs asked.

"That dragon," Tuffnut explained, "It's not doing anything. It's just circling around us."

Fishlegs looked outside the window and saw that they were right. The giant, black, white-eyed dragon wasn't really attacking. It just flew around Terra Gale in a circle.

"What?" Fishlegs asked. "I don't understand. Unless…" His eyes widened and he quickly bolted outside.

The dragon landed on the ground to rest, which gave Fishlegs the chance to get a closer look. What looked like the dragon's white eye fall out was actually one small, white dragon stepping away. With a good look, the entire dragon was made up of very small dragons.

"Wait, that's what's been scaring us?" Snotlout asked.

"What are they?" Wren asked.

"Of course!" Fishlegs gasped in shock. "It's so obvious! Why didn't I see it before? They're Night Terrors!"

"Night Terrors?" Wren repeated.

"They only come out at night and sleep during the day." Fishlegs explained. "They protect their flock by pretending to be a bigger dragon. They follow the white one as its alpha. They must have nested in some underground tunnels around this terra."

"How does that explain the phasing stuff?" Snotlout asked.

"The stuff didn't phase through, Snotlout." Fishlegs said. "The Night Terrors just moved out of the way to give us the illusion."

"How did I not notice them?" Wren asked.

"The Night Terrors only respond when they sense danger." Fishlegs said. "Perhaps they were trying to be alert about the Cyclonians hoping to scare them away."

"Son of a gun." Wren said. "Seems my fear of dragons has left me sort of embarrassed."

"Perhaps." Fishlegs said. Then, an idea popped into his head. "And I think I have an idea."

* * *

"This time, no mercy." The Dark Ace said as he plugged his Firebolt crystal at the hilt of his sword.

"Astrid, deal with the reinforcements." Hiccup said. "Toothless and I can handle the Dark Ace."

"Got it." Astrid said. "Be careful." She lowered herself to break the Cyclonians' formation around the Dark Ace leaving him alone with Hiccup and Toothless.

The Dark Ace started the duel with his energy blast which Toothless dodged. Hiccup then guided Toothless down the clouds and the Dark Ace followed. Toothless widened his wings enough to stop himself and let the Dark Act pass by. As soon as the Dark Ace found out the Night Fury had stopped behind him, he flew straight again hoping to circle back around the dragon, but Hiccup kept outmaneuvering him. The Dark Ace pointed his sword back shooting a firebolt out of his weapon. Hiccup and Toothless kept dodging it.

"You're only prolonging the inevitable, Hiccup." Dark Ace exclaimed.

"Maybe, but you're cutting your further from your team." Hiccup responded.

"You mean my so-called 'back-up'?" Dark Ace laughed. "I couldn't care less about them."

"See, that's the difference between you and me." Hiccup said. "You see your team as a group of pawns, but as for me…" The Dark Ace was caught off guard by the Talon who fell on his hood. "I have every faith in my friends."

The Dark Ace pushed the Talon off and reached for his sword again. He attempted to fire another bolt, but before he could, a large spine shot and knocked the crystal out of the hilt. He turned and saw Astrid and Stormfly flying beside him giving him a confident smirk.

"You think the two of you are enough? You're nothing but barbarians!"

"I know you are…" Snotlout exclaimed as he arose from his dragon the same as Fishlegs and the twins. "…But what are we?"

"Snotlout, what are you doing?" Hiccup asked. "You're supposed to be taking care of the dragon."

"We are." Fishlegs said.

Suddenly, the swarm of dragons taking the form of a giant dragon figure arose behind them. The Dark Ace was caught off guard by the deceptive size.

"Wow, you actually trained it that quickly?" Hiccup asked. "I'm impressed." He turned his head to the evil Cyclonian. "What's it going to be, Dark Ace?"

"Next time, you won't be so lucky." The Dark Ace growled as he turned the ship around.

* * *

As soon as they landed back on the ground, Fishlegs told Hiccup the truth about the dragon. Hiccup approached the leader of the Rebel Ducks.

"Well, that factory won't think twice about bothering you anytime soon now that the Dark Ace got a good look at your 'ghost dragon'." Hiccup said. "And remember, you don't have to attack the Night Terrors. This is your home as much as it is theirs. They want to defend it as much as you do."

"Thank you for your contribution to the resistance." Wren said. "I don't know how to repay you."

"There's pay?" Snotlout asked before getting elbowed by Astrid.

"The chance to help others is reward enough." Hiccup said.

"Well, if you insist…" Wren said.

Suddenly, Dove hit her grandfather on the head with his hubcap hat. "I'm sure you can find something, Grandpapa. Don't be cheap."

Chuckling nervously, Wren investigated his bag and rummaged around. "Aha!" he exclaimed. He pulled out two things. One was a green crystal. "This is a Gale Crystal, able to shoot a terrifying tornado. The next time you see those Cyclonian swine, blow them a kiss from the Rebel Ducks. And…" He held up a circular frame with a crystalized glass in it. "I don't know what this is. But it looks valuable. Why don't you take it?"

"Thank you, Wren." Hiccup said accepting the gifts.

"Ooh!" Tuffnut exclaimed picking up a chicken. "Can we take the chicken too? I feel a strange connection to it."

"Uh… I suppose." Wren said. "Really, you'd be doing me a favor. All that thing does is stand around."

"We'll take it." Tuffnut said. "And I shall name thee… Chicken." He held it up with a visible ray of sunshine raining on it.

"Well… at least it wasn't an explosive." Astrid said.

* * *

Viggo looked down at his Maces and Talons board. The day was quiet so far. That is, until a young, sinister voice came from the front.

"Take two pawns to the left and you'll kill the traitor." Viggo looked and gazed his eyes at Master Cyclonis approaching the table. "That is what you're trying to do, isn't it?"

"Master Cyclonis, what an honor." Viggo said. "And here, I thought those two goons wouldn't be brave enough to give you a call."

"Viggo Grimbourn." Cyclonis said taking a seat. "You've got a lot of nerve refusing a generous offer by demanding to see me."

"Apologies, but you're the only one I could negotiate with." Viggo said. "The muscle-head is obviously duller than a used butter knife and the girl with him seems a tad impulsive."

"You may have a point." Cyclonis said. "Very well. Let's talk. As you may have heard, there are a group of teenagers who have taken the liberty of… riding dragons."

"Yes, I have heard rumors." Viggo said. "And you believe my dragon hunters will give you the necessary force to counteract them. Why not simply destroy them yourself?"

"Our knowledge of the dragons and their behavior is limited." Cyclonis said. "We need the expertise of professional hunters."

"Hmm." Viggo said with thoughts parading around in his head. "You know, there may be a way that could benefit all of us."

"Go on."

"My tribe has an ancient legend about a certain tool of knowledge." Viggo said. "It is called the Dragon Eye. With crystalized lenses and a dragon's breath, it can reveal hidden knowledge about dragons lost to us. There may even be some information on the elusive Night Fury."

"Intriguing." Cyclonis said. "And where is this Dragon Eye?"

"Sadly, it has been lost for years." Viggo said. "The ship that was carrying it, the Reaper, had crashed into the Wasteland and it's filled with traps. It's going to take some careful planning to take it. Still, there are still the lenses to consider. I'm in the middle of tracking them down, so it could be a while. But it might go a lot faster if we had Cyclonian resources at our disposal."

"I see. So if I help complete the Dragon Eye and we collect enough lenses, then we could know everything about the dragons."

"Indeed." Viggo confirmed. "Still, there are still the riders themselves to consider. If I am to help against them, I need to know about them. I can't exactly confront them blindly."

"You'll need a situation where the dragon riders will have to interfere so we can study their behavior." Cyclonis said. "I believe I can think of something." She extended her hand. "Does this mean we have a deal?"

Viggo paused for a moment. "Consider the dragon hunters at your beck and call." He grabbed Cyclonis' hand and they shook sealing their evil alliance.


End file.
